Barry's Blog September 5, 2008
Fri, Sep 5 2008 10:59 | Permalink
This Sunday (September 7, 2008) is Grandparents Day. There is an official site found at:
www.grandparents-day.com
There are several places in scripture about the influence of grandparents, and the wisdom that comes with age (see Proverbs 17.6; 20.29; 23.22; 2 Timothy 1.5). Not that grandparents are old! As I often say, "You arent' old until you are 90 - then you are starting to get old!" We are to be grateful and respectful toward our elders, we all have much to learn from them.
But you can't really think about Grandparents Day without the interesting things that they hear or see from their Grandchildren:
A sweet little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought her a cup of coffee. He made it himself and was so proud. He anxiously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee. The grandmother had never in her life had such a bad cup of coffee, and as she forced down the last sip she noticed three of those little green army guys in the bottom of the cup.
She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the bottom of my cup?"
Her grandson replied, "You know grandma, it's like on TV, 'The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup."
~~~
The Bible tells us in several places, that as Christians, we are part of the body of Christ (see Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4). As members of the body of Christ, we have an obligation and responsibility to each other. This means to help each other, pray for each other, and love one another. This is a modern day "parable" that emphasizes this biblical truth:
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" the mouse wondered - - -he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning :
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him,
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr.Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said,
"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse, I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap . . . alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
We can learn a lesson from this, there are times when others are hurting, or something that could be harmful to them may be in their path. Pray for those who are hurting; maybe a phone call, or e-mail or sending a card to remind them that you are praying. Tangible ways of showing that you are concerned mean so very much. If you have not yet read it, there is a related article on our website under "Anchor Articles - Smoother Sailing" entitled, "The Body".
~~~
We have recently added to our Anchor Articles, an article entitled, "Prayer: Where the Action Is", and a book review of Bill Gothard's "Pavilions of Protection" - co-written with Don Veinot of Midwest Christian Outreach.
www.grandparents-day.com
There are several places in scripture about the influence of grandparents, and the wisdom that comes with age (see Proverbs 17.6; 20.29; 23.22; 2 Timothy 1.5). Not that grandparents are old! As I often say, "You arent' old until you are 90 - then you are starting to get old!" We are to be grateful and respectful toward our elders, we all have much to learn from them.
But you can't really think about Grandparents Day without the interesting things that they hear or see from their Grandchildren:
A sweet little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought her a cup of coffee. He made it himself and was so proud. He anxiously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee. The grandmother had never in her life had such a bad cup of coffee, and as she forced down the last sip she noticed three of those little green army guys in the bottom of the cup.
She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the bottom of my cup?"
Her grandson replied, "You know grandma, it's like on TV, 'The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup."
~~~
The Bible tells us in several places, that as Christians, we are part of the body of Christ (see Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4). As members of the body of Christ, we have an obligation and responsibility to each other. This means to help each other, pray for each other, and love one another. This is a modern day "parable" that emphasizes this biblical truth:
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" the mouse wondered - - -he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning :
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him,
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr.Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said,
"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse, I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap . . . alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
The next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage and help one another.
We can learn a lesson from this, there are times when others are hurting, or something that could be harmful to them may be in their path. Pray for those who are hurting; maybe a phone call, or e-mail or sending a card to remind them that you are praying. Tangible ways of showing that you are concerned mean so very much. If you have not yet read it, there is a related article on our website under "Anchor Articles - Smoother Sailing" entitled, "The Body".
~~~
We have recently added to our Anchor Articles, an article entitled, "Prayer: Where the Action Is", and a book review of Bill Gothard's "Pavilions of Protection" - co-written with Don Veinot of Midwest Christian Outreach.
Our Wonderful Creator and Savior
Thu, Jun 19 2008 02:01 | Permalink
What a wonderful world!
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." (Psalm 24.1)
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him." (Colossians 1.16)
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not." (John 1.3,10)
Recently I have been watching the DVD series, Planet Earth (BBC production - narrated by David Attenborough).
Their official website is:
Or you can read the wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Earth_%28TV_series%29
This is the most beautiful visual collection of flora and fauna that I have seen on DVD. The beauty of the earth that our Lord has created is astounding. I imagine that watching it on high-def television is even better. The only part of the DVD collection that could have been left out would be the "And x-million years ago...". There are places and creatures on this DVD that relatively few people have seen with the human eye. Much of it is filmed from a helicopter with a special camera. If you get the chance, watch it.
This is the most beautiful visual collection of flora and fauna that I have seen on DVD. The beauty of the earth that our Lord has created is astounding. I imagine that watching it on high-def television is even better. The only part of the DVD collection that could have been left out would be the "And x-million years ago...". There are places and creatures on this DVD that relatively few people have seen with the human eye. Much of it is filmed from a helicopter with a special camera. If you get the chance, watch it.
God loves all in His world "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3.16)
God certainly created a beautiful world. It isn't as beautiful as it was before Adam and Eve fell into sin, but then none of us were here to see it as it was then. We can only imagine and speculate how beautiful it must have been. But not only that, as beautiful as Earth is, it will be nothing compared to the new Heaven and Earth that we will enjoy for the 1000 year reign of Christ, and into eternity (Revelation 21.1-4 ). God created you and loves you, and wants you to be with him there for eternity. We are all sinners, and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3.10,23). God demands perfection. None of us are perfect, nor can we be. However, God has provided His perfection through His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5.21; Ephesians 2.8,9). Won't you place your faith in Him and receive the only payment and perfection that will get you to heaven? E-mail us and let us know if you have placed your faith in Christ. You can read more on our website by clicking "The Gospel" on the left of our page, and by reading our articles.
Listen Carefully
Thu, Jun 5 2008 11:50 | Permalink
Hebrews 2.1 "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
Are you listening?
There is a tendency in our fallen human nature to hear, but not really listen. Have you ever talked to a friend and found yourself distracted by what was on TV, or reading, or trying to "multi-task". You hear what they say, but you don't really listen. The same can happen with God's word. We can easily become careless to what He has said, and forget. Just because we read a verse or passage, or heard it taught or preached about, it doesn't mean that it will always "stick with us".
Don't let it slip!
Do you ever find yourself talking to someone and you try to remember the name of a person, or road, or remember a day when something occurred? There may be several reasons why we forget, but among them are probably the fact that we do not talk to that person, or visit that place enough to keep our memory fresh. The same is true with the Bible. The more we read it, the more we can "give heed" to it to avoid letting it "slip".
It takes effort
The more we read scripture, the more it can minister to us. Like water (Isaiah 55.8-11, Ephesians 5.26) the Bible is fresh every time we read it. Every time we read it, we have new problems and challenges that we face. We always need the wisdom that the Bible gives.
Listening is the first step
In James 1.22-25 we are told to apply what we have heard and read in the scriptures, or we are sure to forget.
Along the same line
Someone sent me this...an interesting comparison of:
Cell phones and the Bible
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we went back to get when we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts (or adults for that matter)?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
So remember this..
You'll never have dropped calls and unlike cell phones, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
But most important of all...you'll never have to ask Him "Can you hear me now?"
Makes you stop and think, "Where are my priorities?"
Cell phones and the Bible
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we went back to get when we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts (or adults for that matter)?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
So remember this..
You'll never have dropped calls and unlike cell phones, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
But most important of all...you'll never have to ask Him "Can you hear me now?"
Makes you stop and think, "Where are my priorities?"
~ ~ ~
One of our articles (Open Hands-Living a Generous Life) has been included in the June 5 issue of The Good Life Magazine. Their website is: thegoodlifeofgeorgia.com
The article can be found at:
http://thegoodlifeofgeorgia.com/2008/06/04/open-hands-living-a-generous-life/
Thanks to Lane Lester for including it in the June issue.
Last week, we added 2 new articles to our Anchor Articles (anchorbible.org). One is found under Haven of Truth articles simply entitled, "Sin". The other is under Smoother Sailing articles entitled, "The Tongue". The Haven of Truth articles deal with doctrinal issues. The Smoother Sailing articles deal with practical Christian living.
~ ~ ~
On the lighter side:
(This joke was found at: cleanjokeoftheday.com)
(This joke was found at: cleanjokeoftheday.com)
Awhile back my Church's finances were a little tight, and so my pastor took some extra time to emphasize the importance of everyone giving their tithes and offerings. He challenged the people to give enthusiastically because the Bible says, "God loves a cheerful giver."
While the plates were being passed to gather the offering, I noticed a little boy quickly slip off his neck tie and place it into the offering plate as it went by him. His mother was absolutely mortified. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked him.
"The pastor said put your ties in the offering plate and do it joyfully," the boy replied. "I love that man!"
Solitude
Tue, May 20 2008 01:47 | Permalink
Solitude - most dictionaries define it as:
"a state of being alone; may mean merely a
detachment and separation from others".
The word "solitude" is not found in the scripture - at
least not in the translation searches I tried. However, solitude is certainly in the scripture - sometimes it may be a matter of circumstances, sometimes a matter of choice.
Great women and men of scripture felt solitude and loneliness at some time, to some degree.
Joseph likely felt solitude, and probably loneliness in Pharaoh's prison. Hannah likely felt solitude and loneliness while she prayed for God to give her a son. Daniel likely felt solitude and loneliness in the lion's den. And of course, we have read of the agony and solitude of our Savior in Gethsemane (Luke 22.39-48) the night that he was betrayed; during his trial, and crucifixion and as He breathed His last (Matthew 27.46-50). The list goes on and on.
Solitude can be a time to realize that our Lord is bigger than us, and certainly bigger than our problems.
Some believe David wrote Psalm 102 while fleeing from
his son, Absolom. That would certainly be cause for
isolation. Psalm 102.6,7 says:
"I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an
owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow
alone upon the house top."
The wilderness and the desert can be a lonely place -
apparently David felt as lonely as a pelican would in
the wilderness, as lonely as an owl in the desert. The
sparrow on the housetop is obviously away from it's
nest. In fact His eye is on the lonely sparrow.
Jesus said in Matthew 10.28-30
28 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 29 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (That is comforting, even if we don't have ANY hair.) 30 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Solitude can be lonely, but it can also be a time to draw closer to our Lord.
Jesus gave a wonderful promise concerning solitude in prayer in Matthew 6.6:
Jesus gave a wonderful promise concerning solitude in prayer in Matthew 6.6:
"But thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
Jesus not only taught solitude times of prayer in word, but He also is our prime example. In Luke 6.13-16, Jesus
called His twelve disciples/apostles. However, before he did, Luke 6.12 tells us:
"And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
The next time when loneliness seems to be overwhelming, look at it as a time to enjoy some solitude with our Lord. He wants us to use that time wisely (Ephesians 5.16; Colossians 4.5). Prayer and seeking God's will are wise ways to do that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to Seth and Alyssa for maintaining our website.
They do a wonderful job. When you get time, surf around - we add articles, pictures, announcements, etc. every so
They do a wonderful job. When you get time, surf around - we add articles, pictures, announcements, etc. every so
often.
Forgetting and Remembering
Wed, May 7 2008 03:23 | Permalink
Forgetting and Remembering
Forgetfulness is an all too common occurrence. I am the world's worst at forgetting names; faces... not a problem, but names are not so easy to remember. We are all prone to forget things that we really need to remember and remember things we really should forget.
- Some things should be forgotten
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3.10-12
These are the words of the Apostle Paul. Before he believed on Christ (Acts 9), Paul persecuted the church (Acts 7.58-8.3; 9.1-2; Philippians 3.4-7). Paul had done some pretty horrible things. We probably have too - before we we were saved, and after as well. The life of Paul is encouraging in so many ways; one of which is his determination to press on no matter what. During our Christian life, so many things can come our way to slow us down, or try to get us to quit. If we keep all of the focus on ourselves and our failures, we are certain to be discouraged. If we continually focus on our successes, we will be tempted to become reliant on our own abilities (Philippians 3.3-5). If our focus is on our Savior and the prize (Philippians 3.12) which awaits us at the Judgment Seat of Christ(1 Corinthians 9.24-27; 3.9-15; Romans 14.10; 2 Corinthians 5.9,10), we will be encouraged and motivated to persevere (Hebrews 12.1-3).
- There are some things that our Lord forgets!
There are some things that our Lord forgets, but it is because He chooses to, and has the ability to forget. We in our imperfect, sinful nature are not able to enjoy that ability (but one day we will!). He can instantly forget. We are human, and it takes time for us to forget, and to be able to move on. How wonderful to know that our Savior has forgiven and forgotten our past sins(Isaiah 43.25)! (click here to read my article about forgiveness)
- Some things aren't worth remembering
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43.18,19
Although this is a passage concerning the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, we see some practical application for us here and now. It may not be immediate, but we will one day be able to forget our past. In this life, we may not forget it completely. Hopefully we will forget much of that which is painful. However in our Savior's presence, and in our glorified body we will put all that is unpleasant behind us.
- Some things should be remembered
For one thing, we should continually remember God's goodness. God had a lesson for his Old Testament people - Israel:
Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. Deuteronomy 8.2
Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. Deuteronomy 8.2
Sometimes it is good to look back to our past - to see how faithful our Lord has been in our lives. We should look back there, but not live there. As someone has well said, "the past is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there". When we occasionally look back, we can see how faithful our Lord has been, and thank Him for his faithfulness, His grace, and his ability to move us forward.
We also should remember His word, and allow it to work in our lives:
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Hebrews 2.1 (see also 2 Thessalonians 2.13)
And when we drift spiritually, we should remember where we were and should be in our walk with the Lord; and "get back on track" (Revelation 2.5).
- There are some things that our Lord will remember
Our Lord keeps perfect records. He will reward that which is done in His name, for His glory - to advance the gospel, and to minister to believers.
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6.10 Even the things that we have done for Him that we have forgotten, He will see and reward...sometimes here and now, or at the Judgment Seat of Christ...or maybe even both!
A related article by Dr. Richard Seymour can be found at:
(used by permission)
I hope that you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Don't look within at your righteousness...look to Christ alone, by God's grace alone, through faith alone (Ephesians 2.8,9; John 3.16)
Click here for an excellent video of a gospel presentation by Evangelist Freddie Coile. (www.freddiecoile.org)
Stay in Shape!
Wed, Apr 23 2008 11:35 | Permalink
Stay in shape!
Ephesians 6.16
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."
Ephesians 6.16 (NLT)
"In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith
to stop the fiery arrows of the devil."
to stop the fiery arrows of the devil."
When these words were penned by the Apostle Paul, he likely had the armor and weapons of the Roman army in mind. Arrows were sometimes dipped in pitch (tar) and lit on fire before being released from the bow. If the arrow hit the enemy, he would have the double dilemma of the injury and the heat. The soldier's defense would be a shield. These shields were usually about four foot to four and a half foot high, and about two and a half feet wide.
Have you ever seen in a movie when the hero gets injured; and then when the hero fights the villain, the villain will attack the injury on the hero? The villain has seen where the hero is most vulnerable and goes for the hero's weak point. A visual illustration of the way our infernal enemy
attacks us where we are the most vulnerable.
Satan is our enemy. He is the enemy of our Lord Jesus, the enemy of God's kingdom and of all that is righteous. But remember, Satan is a defeated foe (Romans 16.20; Colossians 2.15). He is the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4.4), the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2.2); and after the rapture of the church his evil will be even more prevalent than it is now (Revelation 12.12)! After the tribulation, he will be chained for a thousand years (Revelation 20.1-3); then after the Millennial reign of Christ Satan will be sent to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20.7-10) for eternity. He is powerful, but certainly not all powerful! He is wise, but not all wise. He has dealt with sinful humanity for thousands of years and he knows where we are weakest. He specializes in fiery darts.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 6.16 that when Satan sends fiery darts our way, we have the shield of faith with which to quench and stop those fiery darts. Those darts may come in numerous ways: doubt, deception, lust, hatred, discouragement, gossip, discord, bitterness, and worry to name a few. Temptation may come our way at any time - usually when we least expect it, and always when we wander toward it (James 1.13-15)!
1 John 4.4 tells us, "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." Philippians 4.13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." I'm so glad that our Lord did not leave us without His power to battle Satan's temptations that come our way. Just as physical exercise conditions the body, spiritual exercise conditions us to face spiritual battle (1 Timothy 4.7,8). So stay in shape spiritually! Ephesians 6.10 tells us to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."
A New Day
Thu, Apr 17 2008 12:07 | Permalink
Every day is a gift from God.
Every day is a chance for a new beginning.
God's mercies are new every morning. The Bible tells us in Lamenations 3.22,23
(KJV) 22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
(CEV) 22 The LORD's kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The LORD can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.
(courtesy of www.biblegateway.com)
With that in mind, here is a thought from:
You can visit the site, or I have pasted it for you below (used by permission):
Memo from God
Good morning, this is God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep. Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away. Be happy with what you have. Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight; just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in. Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege. Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years. Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking "What is my purpose?"; be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!! Should you decide to send this to a friend; you might brighten someone's day!
Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep. Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away. Be happy with what you have. Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight; just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in. Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege. Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years. Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking "What is my purpose?"; be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!! Should you decide to send this to a friend; you might brighten someone's day!
April Fool's Day
Tue, Apr 1 2008 10:54 | Permalink
April 1st. Today is April Fool's day, and you probably
have been the victim of an April Fool's joke at sometime
in your life. Someone has said that today is a holiday
for Atheists. :-) Psalm 14.1; 53.1 both say: "The
fool has said in his heart there is no God..."
Over and over in the book of Proverbs, Solomon warns about fools and foolishness. The opposite of foolishness is wisdom. Proverbs is a book about God's wisdom, and shows the benefits and blessings of living our lives by His wisdom. A good project is reading a chapter of Proverbs a day. Today is April 1, so read Proverbs chapter 1 today, chapter 2 tomorrow, etc. After a couple of months of reading Proverbs, you will notice that you see something different every time. One reason is because we face different problems and decisions every day - so when we read chapter 1 in May or June, there may be something that is more relevant to us as we read.
Certainly God's word is living and powerful (Hebrews 4.12).
I hope you will take the time to look at our redesigned website! I liked the classic black background, but the new background looks more inviting. I hope you will take the opportunity to read articles, and check out the links to other websites. There are some pictures under "the Gallery" from Seth and Alyssa (and Haley's) shower from last Fall. Under "Anchor Articles" you will notice that there are 2 sections "Haven of Truth" and "Smoother Sailing". The Haven of Truth articles are primarily about doctrinal issues, and the Smoother Sailing articles are written as helps for daily Christian living. More articles will be added over time. Thanks to Seth and Alyssa for designing and maintaining our website.
Tax season is just 2 weeks away...an interesting Bible passage about taxes is found in Matthew 17:24-27.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2017:24-27;&version=9;
or: (NIV) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2017:24-27&version=31
Makes you want to go fishing, huh? :-)
have been the victim of an April Fool's joke at sometime
in your life. Someone has said that today is a holiday
for Atheists. :-) Psalm 14.1; 53.1 both say: "The
fool has said in his heart there is no God..."
Over and over in the book of Proverbs, Solomon warns about fools and foolishness. The opposite of foolishness is wisdom. Proverbs is a book about God's wisdom, and shows the benefits and blessings of living our lives by His wisdom. A good project is reading a chapter of Proverbs a day. Today is April 1, so read Proverbs chapter 1 today, chapter 2 tomorrow, etc. After a couple of months of reading Proverbs, you will notice that you see something different every time. One reason is because we face different problems and decisions every day - so when we read chapter 1 in May or June, there may be something that is more relevant to us as we read.
Certainly God's word is living and powerful (Hebrews 4.12).
I hope you will take the time to look at our redesigned website! I liked the classic black background, but the new background looks more inviting. I hope you will take the opportunity to read articles, and check out the links to other websites. There are some pictures under "the Gallery" from Seth and Alyssa (and Haley's) shower from last Fall. Under "Anchor Articles" you will notice that there are 2 sections "Haven of Truth" and "Smoother Sailing". The Haven of Truth articles are primarily about doctrinal issues, and the Smoother Sailing articles are written as helps for daily Christian living. More articles will be added over time. Thanks to Seth and Alyssa for designing and maintaining our website.
Tax season is just 2 weeks away...an interesting Bible passage about taxes is found in Matthew 17:24-27.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2017:24-27;&version=9;
or: (NIV) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2017:24-27&version=31
Makes you want to go fishing, huh? :-)
Nothing Helps Like Prayer!
Tue, Mar 25 2008 10:48 | Permalink
A good bit of my day is spent driving. I sometimes see all kinds of interesting sites. I sometimes see encouraging people, pleasant bumper stickers, polite actions. I see some disturbing stuff too.
While on Clayton Street a few minutes ago, I saw a bumper sticker which read: "Nothing Fails Like Prayer". Sad. I pity anyone who has never seen answered prayer - in their own life, or in the lives of those they love and care for.
Someone sent me a link to an interesting article about the church:
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2008/03/they_love_the_c.html
Dawn sent me a link to a disturbing article about Oprah:
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/007/smith-oprah.htm
I hope you are enjoying your day...and being constantly reminded that, "Nothing Helps Like Prayer"!